2004 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Analysis of chemokine-chemokine receptor system in human female reproductive tissue and its function
| Project/Area Number |
15591746
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Obstetrics and gynecology
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| Research Institution | Osaka University |
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Principal Investigator |
SHIMOYA Koichiro Osaka University, Graduate School of Medicine, Assistant Professor, 医学系研究科, 助手 (40291950)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
FUKUDA Hirotsugu Osaka University, Graduate School of Medicine, Assistant Professor, 医学系研究科, 助手 (40324751)
WASADA Kenshi Osaka University, Graduate School of Medicine, Assistant Professor, 医学系研究科, 助手 (80314433)
KIMURA Tadashi Osaka University, Graduate School of Medicine, Assistant Professor, 医学系研究科, 助手 (90240845)
KOYAMA Masayasu Osaka University, Graduate School of Medicine, Associate Professor, 医学系研究科, 助教授 (00183351)
MURATA Yuji Osaka University, Graduate School of Medicine, Professor, 医学系研究科, 教授 (40283759)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2003 – 2004
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| Keywords | fractalkine / Fallopian tube / ascites / endometriosis / chemokine / endometrium / sperm / CX3CR1 |
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| Research Abstract |
Fractalkine is a CX3C chemokine that has chemoattractant activity for T cells, monocytes and natural killer cells. Western blot analysis revealed that fractalkine protein was detected in the all parts of the Fallopian tube. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed positive staining of the epithelial cells in the oviduct. RT-PCR demonstrated that CX3CR1 transcripts were expressed in the Fallopian tube. RT-PCR also revealed that CX3CR1 positive cells were present in the tube. CX3CR1-positive cells were present in the stroma of the Fallopian tube. RT-PCR demonstrated that CX3CR1 transcripts were expressed in the ejaculated sperm. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated positive staining of the tail of the spermatozoa. These results suggest that fractalkine in the Fallopian tube contributes to the immunodefence mechanism during fertilization and to the sperm motion in the oviduct. Fractalkine protein was detected in the ascites. Positive staining was confirmed in peritoneal surface cells and perivascular cells of the peritoneum. CX_3CR1 positive cells were present in the cells in the peritoneal fluid.
We examined the association between fractalkine in the peritoneal fluid and endometriosis. The fractalkine concentrations in the peritoneal fluid with endometriosis were lower than those without endometriosis. There was no significant difference between serum fractalkine levels with and without endometriosis. These results suggested that decreased levels of fractalkine found in the peritoneal fluid of patients with endometriosis may contribute to the pathogenesis of endometriosis.
We also examined the expression of fractalkine in the endometrium of the uterus and the uterine cervix. Western blot analysis revealed that fractalkine were present in both tissues. RT-PCR also demonstrtated that fractalkine transcripts were present in these organs. These results suggested that fractalkine might play an important role to protect against invasive pathogens in the uterine cavity.
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